Protecting asylum seeker health rights during Covid-19
Justice and Equity Centre
Asylum Seeker Health Rights Project

TOTAL GRANTED
$55,000

Impact AreaTackling Inequality
Year First Supported 2020

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre is an independent, non-profit organisation that works with people and communities who are marginalised and facing disadvantage. PIAC's work combines legal advice and representation, specialising in test cases and strategic casework; research, analysis and policy development; and advocacy for systems change and public interest outcomes.
Protecting asylum seeker health rights during Covid-19
The Asylum Seeker Health Rights Project aims to secure humane standards of medical and mental health care for asylum seekers in Australian immigration detention centres. The Project is led by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC).
Issue
Despite the high levels of trauma suffered by asylum seekers and the damage to mental health caused by long-term, indefinite detention, conditions in immigration detention centres – including rights of access to essential health care – are unprotected in legislation. The Federal Court has described this as a ‘legislative vacuum’.
The Covid-19 pandemic has posed a significant threat to detained asylum seekers, who are unable to practice the social distancing required to minimise the risks of infection: sleeping in small, shared rooms; eating in overcrowded food halls; sharing bathrooms; and interacting constantly with external staff. Many men and women in detention are at heightened risk of serious illness because they are living with specific comorbidity factors like diabetes, renal conditions, certain cancers and respiratory issues.
Response
Through test cases and policy advocacy, PIAC is working to change the system. When Covid-19 hit, PIAC moved quickly to file a complaint with the Commonwealth Ombudsman for 14 detained asylum seekers.
Progress update
UPDATED MARCH 2022
- Four of the 14 clients from the complaint filed by PIAC have since been released from detention, and the Ombudsman has committed to meet regularly with PIAC.
Watch: Update from Lucy Geddes, Project Lead
What the Impact Fund’s support means
“It was heartening to see how quickly Impact Funders supported our response to the impact of Covid-19 in Australian immigration detention centres.” – Lucy Geddes, Senior Solicitor, PIAC
Read case study in Making Change Together: Five years of the Impact Fund
Grants
- 2020 Covid-19 Agile Grant: $55,000 in campaign support
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